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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

b4 i say about my problem i would just like to mention that im a total newbie to linux and iv only been using it a couple of days.

right the first problem im having is when i start up synaptic i get a warning saying something bout couldn't stat source list and it gives me an ftp address. i would have copyed n pasted the warning but LQ wont let me post url's until iv posted 5 times!

does that make any sence to any one? how would i go about fixing it?

and also when i try and install programs i dont know where they have been installed so i cant run them, is there a way to get synaptic to make a shortcut on the menu? (is that what you guys call the KDE?)

There is a file containing the names of the places on the web where your package manager (synaptic) will look for packages. On debian that list is in

Code:

/etc/apt/sources.list

It's probably the same in mepis since mepis is based on debian package management system (apt). You need to open that file with a text editor and make sure that the sources listed there are correct. Being a debian user, I don't know where the mepis repositories are at. Google mepis repositories and you should be able to figure it out. Also pay careful attention to the syntax of the listings in the sources.list file. There is a certain way that things need to be listed or it will not work.

Once you get your sources.list set up, you can do an update in synaptic and then you shouldn't get the warning anymore.

Are you using KDE? KDE has something like the window's start menu. You should be able to find all of your programs there.

The website that you posted a link to contains a nice demo of what the sources.list file should look like. I'm not sure why mepis doesn't want you to edit the file directly. Maybe there is a gui utility to edit it in mepis. I don't know. In debian we do it by hand. We do everything by hand. Anyway, you can make a backup copy of your sources.list. Maybe name it sources.list.bak

Code:

cp sources.list sources.list.bak

then try to edit it with your favorite text editor removing the part that is causing the problem and adding whatever you want to add. This one in particular sounds good:

I am pretty sure you can use stuff from the debian repositories also, and the mplayer repository is useful if you want mplayer.

You may get better help if you post in the mepis forum or one of the websites dedicated to mepis users (ie www.mepislovers.org). Or if those are no good for you, you can try the debian forum. It is awesome and after all, mepis is basically debian with a pretty face.